The number of adoptive children — 52 — who arrived in Finland last year marked the smallest number of adoptions since the 1980s, according to Uutissuomalainen, the joint editorial service for 15 Finnish newspapers.
“Only during the years 1985 to 1987 was the total number of adoptions smaller than last year,” said Minna Malviniemi, Secretary of the Finnish Adoption Board at Valvira, the national supervisory authority for health and welfare.
Six times as many kids in 2005
During the peak year of 2005, 308 children arrived in Finland for adoption, which is six times more than the figure for 2018.
The number of adoptions started to decrease after the mid-2000s. A significant reason for drop is that there have been fewer children available for international adoption since then.
“In many countries where children were given up for adoption, the social and economic situation as well as child protection [services] have improved, so there’s less need for international adoptions,” said Kristiina Mattinen, regional director of Save the Children Finland.
In addition to adoption and foster organisation Interpedia, child adoptions are also arranged by the Save the Children organisation and the Social Welfare Department of the City of Helsinki.
